South Africa’s Position on the Possible Invasion of Iraq

Adv. Z L Madasa MP – ACDP

Wednesday, 25 September 2002

During a debate in Parliament today on South Africa’s Position on the Possible Invasion of Iraq, African Christian Democratic Party MP Adv. Z.L. Madasa gave the following speech:

The South African government has affirmed the right of the US to strike Iraq in self-defence. The government has also stated that such a strike must be based on evidence that Iraq is involved in terrorism; was involved in the 9/11 attack on the US; is producing weapons of mass destruction. If the attack is appropriate it must be authorised by the United Nations.

We in the ACDP support our government’s position, but we add that Iraq must allow unconditional inspection of its weapons.

The ACDP do not agree that the following considerations are good reasons to start a war:

Selfish Interests
Ducking domestic economic problems
Iraq being part of the so-called ‘axis of evil’
A need for regime change in Iraq

As Christian Democrats and friends to the US, we urge them to think about innocent women and children before starting a war. Women and children are inevitably always at the receiving end of a war.

The ACDP rejects from a Christian perspective the American ‘civil religion’ that says America is predestined by God to save the world. That it is the greatest nation in the world that God is going to use to establish His purpose in creation. That the US state is the great political messiah, as stated by Herman Melville in his novel ‘Whitejacket’.

Such a vision should cause us to shudder because it is a near deitification of the US State. Such a vision can keep us from recognising, confessing and changing the sinful injustices against the poor, the unborn, the oppressed of every kind and injustices, which deform the face of America.

The US is an important trading partner and a friend of South Africa. We in the ACDP will not join the anti-American rhetorical chant. We need the USA. We ask its leaders as our friends to subject themselves to peer review of friendly nations. We say to President Bush, “let the Iraq issue have the blessing of the United Nations”.


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For further comment please call Adv. Z.L. Madasa MP at 083 302 4938 or ACDP Media Liaison Liza Bloemetje at 082 478 1037